Well look who's here! Look who finally decided to show up? YES that's right! IRRESPONSIBLE OL' ME THAT'S WHO! the one who said she would post a chapter err' day on Nalu week! Yes, that girl who broke her promise. Before anyone could throw dishes, or rotten fruit at me please let me explain I got a legit reason and hopefully something to make up for it. Yes? Okay, so like, I really WAS gonna update yesterday but it so happens that this chapter or prompt of 'Longing' was waaaaaaay too long. The ending that I have written is only half of what I originally thought of. But because I was running out of time I had to leave it as it is. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Secondly, my neighborhood was experiencing power outages! so I had to wait until the interwebs provider could come the next day to fix the problem.

and now for some good news. So, in order to make up for the time loss. I decided that instead of posting just one chapter. I'm going to be posting two instead. How does that sound? Are we happy? Good. Now let's get to it. Here's the second and last part of 'Longing'.

DIZCLAIMER: Fairy tail is own by Hiro Mashima. Please support its official release.

Day One: Longing (Part II)

"For loving you like this

Is this my fortune, is this my punishment?

Is it that so much love is prohibited?

And here I am still dying to be with you…"

Present…

Then the song starts the building up and Natsu reluctantly tore his eyes away from the girl and onto the crowd. He found himself ironically longing to return gazing back at the blonde girl in the crowd. His blonde girl…his princess. The girl who taught him how to interpret the song. The girl who he had fallen in love with.

The girl who he secretly dedicated this song to.

But he had to look away. He had to. Because he knew the song is universal. It was meant to be a declaration of love to all the lovers out there…and even…to the ones who are not.

A year before the live concert…

The song had to be rearranged so that they could add an electric guitar solo in the song. They figured it would help Natsu to become more comfortable and sing the song better. Natsu may be a bit biased, but he thought the song sounded better with the guitar solo added.

However, despite these changes, Natsu still had trouble with the song. And to make matters worse, he was running out of time, the company wanted the song sung and recorded by the next month and Natsu still had a hard time connecting with the piece. His band members had tried to help him. They each sang and the song. Their interpretations were excellent but Natsu still couldn't get it right.

And thus, he decided to turn to the weird intern Lucy for help a few days later.

Lucy, as it turned out, was in the same boat as he. She had never fallen in love before. And unlike Natsu, who had several flings and relationships before, Lucy had never gone out with anybody. She was experienced as a newborn child. Much to Natsu's dismay.

"I-it says that sh-sh-she's distant like t-the horizon…" Lucy said after she read the first verse, "M-Meaning she's unattainable…unable to t-touch her…" Her lips quivered, and she blinks the tears out of her eyes, "That's s-so sad." She said. She looks at Natsu, "Th-think of the t-time you wanted s-s-something but you c-couldn't get it…like a ch-chocolate bar or s-something."

Natsu, who had been laying on the couch trying to balance a pencil on his upper lip snorts, "but I've never longed for a chocolate bar Luce," he said, "Because I always have a dollar with me."

Lucy blinks at him, "You're-you're u-unbelievable," she said.

Natsu shrugs, "What? I'm always prepared."

They had tried other strategies. Lucy had first suggested to read the song backwards and hoped inspiration will come but it didn't work. Reading it backwards only gave the song an entire meaning. And after a couple of hours, Lucy came up with the idea to convey the song as if it was a song longing for food. A topic Natsu is no stranger of and food is universal, right?

Right.

Lucy groans and leans back into the chair, "I don't know what to do…" she mumbles.

Natsu sits up suddenly on the couch and stares at Lucy. Lucy, who took a moment to notice, blushes and looks away shyly, "Wh-Why are y-y-you staring at m-me, N-Natsu?"

"There," Natsu said pointing a finger at the shy blonde, "You didn't stutter…" he blinks in amazement, "I had always thought you had a speech impediment, but you can speak just fine." He said.

Since the day they met Natsu had notice Lucy's stuttering. This is one of her quirks that got Natsu thinking as weird. At first, he thought she was just shy…then from shy to the (kind of) cute girl with a speech impediment.

Natsu gets up from the couch takes a seat in front of Lucy and stares at her directly in the eye, "Am I the only one who makes you stutter?" he asks.

Lucy stares at him, "I-I d-don't know wh-what you m-mean…M-M-Mr. D-Dragneel…"

Natsu shook his head, "Hey, I thought I said not to call me that…" he leans over the table, "But we're getting off topic…do I make you nervous, Luce?"

At this, Lucy's face turned so red and her glasses fogged up, yet she furiously shook her head. Natsu's lips quivered a bit like he was trying hard not to laugh. Instead he cups her chin using his thumb and forefinger forcing the girl to look at him directly in the eye. He smirks.

"I think you're lying, Luce." He said. Lucy tries to look away. Natsu frowns. Is he really that scary?

"I've asked around Lucy," Natsu continued his eyes landing on the girl's lips, then to her eyes, "Everyone says you speak fine."

"Y'know…" Natsu whispers as he leans closer with that his breath touches her lips, "I can give you a real reason to be scared…"

Lucy furrows her eyebrows, "S-Stop teasing m-me, N-Natsu." She said her voice a bit edgy.

Natsu reluctantly lets her go, "Okay, Luce…" he said dejectedly.

Awhile after the two started working together, Lucy noticed Natsu had a bit of a playful side. So she knew his words doesn't mean anything. He would tease her, play pranks on her, and he would touch her. Like tickle her in public at the most random times, like when she's ordering food, doing research…etc.

But this time, Natsu was not teasing Lucy at all. He truly wanted to know why Lucy only stammers only around him. And the last bit about how he can make her really nervous it was only talk. He didn't mean any of it. But did he push it too far?

"Sorry," he mutters and he returns back to the couch.

Lucy bit her bottom lip as she watched her pink-haired friend slowly took a seat on the couch.

"I'm walking on this tightrope

For going after your steps converted into shadows

Of that love you've once denied me…"

Present…

He closes his eyes once again and concentrates on the music, but in his head he pictured singing the song in front of her. Then, he pictured her gone. No longer there. Not amongst the crowd, not waiting for him backstage as she promised him. He pictured a life without her. He felt a knot form in his throat.

God, he can't have that now…

He opens his eyes again, and there she is smiling shyly at him. Encouraging him silently.

He felt better again.

A year before the live concert…

"I th-think…" Lucy said after a few moments, "Y-You should p-p-probably talk to G-Gildarts…"

Lucy slowly lift up the sheets of paper she was holding up to her face, "C-Could you p-p-please s-stop staring at m-m-me, N-Natsu?" she asks shyly.

Natsu, who is sitting across from her from the table staring at her blankly, snaps out of his trance.

They were in Natsu's recording room once again and this the second week the two worked together to crack the song. But nothing seems to work…and the record company are losing patience.

"What?" he blurts out, "What did you say?"

Despite the pressure and the stress he is gaining from the record company, Natsu notice that he relaxes whenever Lucy's around. Maybe because Lucy is the only one who is not forcing Natsu about the song? Somehow, Lucy finds a way to keep Natsu distracted and smiling.

"N-Natsu," Lucy tries, "I s-said th-that y-you should s-se Gildarts…"

Natsu raises an eyebrow, "Hey," he said after a few seconds, "I was just thinking that you'd look cuter without your glasses."

"Th-That's wh-what you w-were th-thinking about?!" Lucy cries.

Yes, he was. Actually, it's been something he had been thinking all week. A Lucy without her glasses so that he can see her face. He does not understand why she hides her face behind those horrible rims. Why could she have not get herself some glasses that suited her face? Or some contacts?

"Yeah," Natsu said after studying Lucy's face for a moment, then he reaches over to take off her thick glasses, "Ah! See? Now I can see your whole face now!" he said smiling.

"N-Natsu…d-did you l-listen to a w-word I s-said?" Lucy said reaching over to retrieve her glasses. "G-Give me b-back m-m-my glasses!"

Natsu nods, "Yeah," he said, moving his arm away from the girl's reach, "You said I should see Gildarts…" he frowns, "Why?"

"B-Because I c-can't see w-without th-them!" Lucy cries as she tries to reach for her glasses again.

Natsu shakes his head, "No, I meant about Gildarts…" he said moving his arm the held her girl's glasses away from her again.

"B-Because…" Lucy begins slowly, "Y-You said so yourself th-that y-you were curious a-as to w-why he m-made this song. M-Maybe…if you a-ask him…i-it might help?"

Natsu stares at her silently for a moment, causing Lucy to look shyly away from him again. Then he blinks, "You're a really cute girl, Luce."

Lucy's face turned into the shade of a tomato, "P-Please…st-stop teasing me…N-Natsu!"

"I'm not teasing you!" Natsu insists, "You really are pretty-no, not pretty-you're beautiful, Lucy."

Lucy stares at him then she shakes her head.

Natsu frowns.

"Counting the seconds that passed to see you

Making you responsible of my own luck

Dreaming while awake to make you mine…"

That night Natsu had trouble sleeping. He kept tossing back and forth, hoping for sleep to get to him eventually. But sleep did not want to come. He sighs and stares up at the ceiling. In his mind's eye he saw long, flowing, golden hair and a shy smile.

"Dammit," he grumbles, "Why am I thinking about Luce?"

But he kept staring at the imaginary Lucy that appeared on his ceiling. His brows furrowed and twitching, and the corners of his lips turning downward. The Lucy in his mind no longer wore glasses, or that horrible, thick blazer. Instead, the girl now wears a dress that hugged every curve of her body. She looked beautiful, elegant…and stunning.

And really un-Lucy like.

"Lucy…" Natsu whispers under his breath, "You wierdo."

Nonetheless, Natsu found himself closing his eyes, taking a deep breath. The imaginary Lucy sits next to him in his mind.

"You're so pretty, Luce." he said to her.

Natsu smiles and he started to softly sing to himself.

When Natsu opened his eyes he gasped and sat upright in his head, "I did it!" Natsu cries, "I got it! Mavis, I got it!"

Present…

As soon as the last note rang out onto the stadium, Natsu closes his eyes one last time and he smiles. As soon as he put the microphone down the crowd exploded.

They loved it.

Natsu, who is usually not modest or shy, found himself blushing and smiling bashfully. He bows a fw times to the crowd, muttering a few 'thank you's.

"A step from your mouth, unable to kiss it

So close to your skin, unable to touch it

Burning of desire with every look…"

A year before the live concert…

"Lucy!" Natsu cried as soon as he found her.

Lucy, who was sitting at a table looking at some papers, looks up to find the source of the ruckus.

"Wh-what?"

Natsu hugs her. Lucy jumps in surprise, but nonetheless returns the embrace.

"I did it!" Natsu said. "I did it! Thank you!"

Present day…

Natsu could still hear the crowd cheering from backstage. He didn't care right now. All he wanted more than anything is to see this one person. The person he had been longing to see all day.

The person in question stood at the end of the hallway, looking shyly at her feet.

Natsu smiles, "Lucy…" he breathes.

In all honesty, I hate the way it turned out. Don't you? I mean...to me...I feel like there was no fluff. No Nalu fluff at all. Someone please knock some sense into me. I hate this prompt... (_)